The Cliffs of Moher are just 2 hours from Galway and served by a regular bus route, making it super easy to plan an independent day trip along the coast!
A lot of blogs discuss tours and driving routes to the cliffs, but if you’ve read any of my others posts, you have probably realised that I like to do things by myself. And with the cliffs being so close and so well served by public transport, why pay €50 to have your time dictated by a tour group?
I visited the Cliffs of Moher in the summer of 2023.
In this post, I cover how I travelled to there and back from Galway, how much it cost and what’s included in the ticket, what clothing to bring, what there is to see and what walking route across the cliffs I recommend.
*Some of the links included in this post may be affiliate. I may receive a small commission from purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products and services that I 100% trust and believe in*
Galway Ireland Basics
Currency: The Euro.
Cash or Card: Either is perfectly fine, I never had an issue with not carrying cash.
Visas: Ireland provides 90 day tourist visas to most passport holders.
Although the Republic of Ireland is part of the European Union (EU), it is not part on the Schengen Zone.
If you haven’t heard about the Schengen Zone, read about it here before visiting Europe. It is a group of countries in Europe that allow visitors to apply for one encompassing tourist visa that covers all the countries in the Zone. With a Schengen Visa you can enter and move between any country in the agreement freely for up to 90 days in every 180 days.
Basically, this means that most tourists can visit Ireland for up to 90 days in addition to 90 days in Schengen countries.
Check on the Irish Immigration page whether you need to apply for a visa before arriving. Travellers from many countries can get a visa on arrival.
How to Get to/from Galway
The easiest way to get to Galway is to first fly to Dublin, then catch a bus or train (3 hours).
The closest airport is Shannon Airport, which is 1 hour drive from Galway. Flights to Shannon Airport from abroad are sparse and expensive.
Where to Stay in Galway
$ Hostel $
Woodquay Hostel
3/24 Woodquay, Galway, H91 P8RP, Ireland
This hostel is the best and cheapest in Galway. Housed in a cosy and quirky building, Woodquay Hostel offers free cancellation and easy access to Dublin’s nightlife and train station. Check availability or see other options.
$$ Hotel $$
Urban Nest Townhouse
25 College Rd, Galway, H91 P688, Ireland
This family-run guesthouse has been recently renovated. There are single, double and combination rooms, and they all have a private ensuite. Check availability or see other options.
How to get around Galway
Galway is a very compact city. All the sights in town are in walking distance, while those out of town such as the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands can be accessed via bus or tour.
What to Pack for Galway
If you are not sure what to bring to Galway, my UK packing list for backpackers gives a good overview of what clothes and items you’ll need.
It is absolutely crucial that you pack a rain-jacket and/or an umbrella! It is most likely that it will rain at least once during your visit, so best to be prepared.
What are the Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland’s most popular visitor experiences, with over 1.5 million visitors each year.
People have been visiting the Cliffs of Moher for centuries. O’Briens Tower was built in 1835 to serve as a viewing platform for the frequent English tourists.
If you’re up for it, the official Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk runs for 18 km from Hag’s Head all the way to Doolin.
How to get to the Cliffs of Moher
Ireland’s bus service, Bus Éireann, operates a route from Galway to Ennis.
This bus (bus 350) is a local bus, so it will stop regularly along the way.
I recommend taking the first available bus from Galway at 8am. You will arrive in the Cliffs of Moher parking lot at around 10:12am.
Try to sit on the right-hand side of the bus because the bus hugs the coastline as it heads south and the view out the window is just incredible.
You’ll find the buses just in front of Galway Train Station. You can buy your ticket on board with cash. If you need to use card, purchase your ticket at the machine inside the train station.
Be sure to purchase a RETURN ticket.
Travel Essentials
SIM cards: Airalo offers eSIMS for over 200 countries which you can install BEFORE travelling, saving you the stress of running around to find a store or from being ripped off by local vendors. This is perfect for backpackers who are travelling to multiple destinations in a short period of time.
Insurance: You should NOT go overseas without getting travel insurance. Travel insurance protects you in case you get injured or your plans change or are cancelled. I always use Covermore, because the cover is comprehensive and they were easy to work with when I needed to make a claim.
Banking: When travelling and saving for travel I use Up Bank, an online Australian bank, that allows fee-free overseas transactions, unlimited savings ‘pools’ and easy transfers. If you join Up with my invite code we both get $13!
Cliffs of Moher Entry Details
When you get off the bus, you’ll find yourself in the Coach parking lot.
Follow the crowd towards the entrance gate where you need to purchase your Cliffs of Moher entry ticket.
Price
If you book your ticket in advance you get a little bit of a discount. As of July 2024, pre-booked tickets cost €7 for entry before 11am, €10 from 11am-4pm, and €8 until closing time at 9pm.
Ticket price at the gate is €12.
Inclusions
Your ticket includes access to the walking paths and O’Briens Tower, as well as the cafe and gift shops, wi-fi and a downloadable audio guide.
The website says that you can also get binoculars and picnic blankets on request!
Weather & Clothing
When planning to visit the Cliffs of Moher, be prepared for all weather.
Even if it is not raining (bring a rain-jacket), it will undoubtedly be very windy. I suggest bringing a scarf, warm jacket, hat or beanie to keep the hair under control, and comfortable walking shoes.
What to See and do at the Cliffs of Moher
With all the boring stuff behind us, now its time to explore the Cliffs of Moher!
As you make your way along the Burren Way footpath, you’ll find that the trail splits into two.
I decided to head to the left to visit the south viewpoint first.
The path is small and gravelled with a fence preventing you from getting too close to the cliff. When passing someone, you do have to kind of squeeze to the side.
Read this to find out about accessibility support at the Cliffs.
The morning breeze nipped my face as I strolled along the trail towards the south viewpoint.
The expanse of wide, green field was simply amazing; how can Ireland be so small, yet have so much empty space?
We passed some fields of brown cows and stopped to watch them sit and munch on the electric-green grass.
When I reached the south viewpoint, I decided to turn back. You could continue walking all the way to Moher Tower, but I wanted to explore the other side of O’Briens Tower.
You can go inside O’Brien’s Tower where you’ll find a small spiral staircase to the viewing deck and pictures and other artefacts collected over the Cliffs’ time as a tourist destination.
Continue past the Tower to the Pollboy Lookout. From here, you can see the Cliff’s of Moher how you’ve probably seen them on social media, with steep cliffs of layered stone.
Pictured above is the view towards O’Briens Tower, while the cover image of this blog post (at the top of post) is the view looking in the other direction.
Here the cliffs are at their maximum height of 214 metres.
The walking trail continues on as far as you want to walk, all the way to Doolin.
I head back to the Cliffs of Moher visitor centre to have a drink and warm up.
There are two cafes and few gift shops to peruse before your bus returns. My favourite was the Moher Music Shop which had a bunch of quirky things, including a didgeridoo!
I did some research afterwards because seeing this didgeridoo really threw me off … I thought they were a uniquely Indigenous-Australian instrument.
Turns out Celtic forms of didgeridoo have been excavated from archaeological digs in Ireland and Scotland. Although usually made of bronze instead of wood, they were played using a similar method of circular breathing. How fascinating!
But I am sure that the one pictured is Australian because of the dot painting.
Return bus from Cliffs of Moher to Galway
Make sure to be out waiting at the bus stop before your scheduled return bus to Galway. Although they will probably be late, the buses are very irregular. If you miss it, you might be waiting a while …
Afternoon buses depart Cliffs of Moher around 1:20pm, 3:20pm, 6:20pm and 7:20pm every day.
Be Honest … Are the Cliffs of Moher worth visiting?
The Cliffs of Moher make for a nice day trip through the Irish countryside.
While I think they are worth visiting if you have the time and funds, I will admit that they really are just cliffs.
Visiting the Cliffs of Moher is more about the journey there and scenery than anything else. The cliffs themselves weren’t jaw-droppingly never-seen-before amazing, but I did enjoy getting out the city and seeing what the Irish countryside, seaside and small towns are like.
I think they’re a little commercialised, and it irks me that they have put a big fence and ticket booth around a natural beauty that should be enjoyed freely.
If you don’t have the time or funds, I don’t think you’re really missing out on anything.
If you have to decide between visiting the Cliffs of Moher or the Aran Islands, pick the Aran Islands 100%!
That’s how to plan an independent day trip to visit the Cliffs of Moher! If after reading this, you’re still not entirely comfortable with planning it yourself, there are tons of tours available.
I’d pick this tour that also stops at Dunguaire Castle, The Burren and Doolin.
There’s also this tour that combines the Cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands.
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